1st class requirement 11

[yearroundcamper]

For the 1st class requirement #11, do you actualy have to get a friend to join your troop? The requirement isn't specific on whether or not he has to join. It just says you have to tell him about the activities your troop does, tell him how to join, and invite him to a meeting or activity. I've been trying to get a friend to join for a few months but he refuses to join. Can someone who has done this requirement please reply?

[Billiken]

As Scoutmaster, I only require the the Scouts make an honest and sincere effort to recruit someone.

The person you're talking to does not have to actually join.

[smtroop168]

#11 Tell someone who is eligible to join Boy Scouts, or an inactive Boy Scout, about your troop's activities. Invite him to a troop outing, activity, service project or meeting. Tell him how to join, or encourage the inactive Boy Scout to become active.

This requirement when it was first introduced caused a lot of confusion. It was added because it was felt that boys can sometimes be the best recruiters.

There is NO requirement for a boy to join or even come to a meeting or event. The BSA even has e-invites a scout can send to his friends which satisfies the requirement.

I have one scout in my troop who joined as a result of Req 11. He was never a Cub Scout.

[scoutaholic]

Tell someone who is eligible to join Boy Scouts, or an inactive Boy Scout, about your troop's activities. Invite him to a troop outing, activity, service project or meeting. Tell him how to join, or encourage the inactive Boy Scout to become active.

The requirement does not say the boy has to join. It doesn't even say he has to come to the meeting/activity to which he was invited.

If you talk to your friend, and he says he is not interrested and never wants to hear about that subject again, the requirement has still been fulfilled.

If the SM is requiring the boy to actually join, then they are adding to the requirements, which is forbidden by the advancement guidelines.

[yearroundcamper]

Thanks

[evmori]

Short answer no.

[wagionvigil]

This is something I started doing many years ago. When I read a Requirement I read it as if I was the Kid. What would a 11 year old understand from reading it? We as adults try to over engineer everything.

[kwildman]

This is something I started doing many years ago. When I read a Requirement I read it as if I was the Kid. What would a 11 year old understand from reading it? We as adults try to over engineer everything.

Like I have said before it takes an adult to mess up a Kids program.

[biglou]

Nope. The boy just has to make the offer. I wish people would read the requirements for ranks and merit badges as they are written. Not try to reinvent the wheel and do what they think it should say.